What If?
by xBubblesx
Summary: What if Primrose wouldn't allow Katniss to volunteer? What if Katniss was to break down, out of stress? What if Gale was to fall in love with someone other than Katniss? What if Prim was to survive? What if Gale was to die? What If this is the end of the Annual Hunger Games for District 12? What if, it was for every district... What If?... ON HIATUS!
1. The Beginning

Hunger Games Fanfiction:

Katniss POV:

I was laying, in the night with my sister, Primrose, trying to calm her. It'd been 24 hours since her last nightmare, but it's all she thinks about. She panics a lot as well. I think I may know why. Today is the Reaping.

It's her first year being in the glass ball. Anyone, and I mean anyone, could be picked. Effie Trinket. She is the devil which lies between us, and nearby death, and then obviously the careers, which could literally kill us vulnerable ones in a flash. Prim's very vulnerable, only being 12. Me being almost 16, I'm not so fussed.  
"I have to go." I whispered in Prim's ear after she fell asleep. I could imagine her waking up after I'd gone, but she needed to sleep, after all if it was her, I believe I would be utterly mortified. I ran through the village of District 12. Nothing had changed this year, the Mullen kids screaming at their mother, and the new 12 year old, what was her name? Oh yeah, Abigail screaming defiantly the loudest of the 4. I saw Mr. Griffiths on the way down. He was sat outside his hut, eating the last of his monthly squirrel I catch for him. I fear, if it is me, it may be his last, and not only for that reason. He's getting on a bit as well, he's almost 75, and that's generally lucky for someone in my district…

I slid myself under the district boundary, and I felt a cold wind brush past me. Gale stood behind me.

"Damn you Gale, you could have had me killed." I yelled.

"Don't shout too loud Katniss, they could catch us." He jokily smirked at me.

"Your right, they could." I said, taking this situation pretty seriously. He looked at me with the signature raised eyebrow. I nodded my head.

"This is dangerous, what I do Gale, getting food is essential though." I kept weighing out my options. Gale kept trying to make what I do, good, but everything he said, there was obviously a flip side to it, because I go over the boundary, and there is a large consequence to that.

Gale POV

I never actually noticed how beautiful she was, up until today. Considering girls cannot afford make-up and things like that, she looked pretty nice. When I woke up this morning, I couldn't help but think if it was going to be me. It was going to be me. I have thought that for the past couple of years, so that if it isn't me, it's nice to know I might live for another year, then it's obviously depending on the issue with food.

I saw her skid under the electric fence, and I did the same, and stood right behind her, in utter silence, so she could feel my cold breath on the back of her neck,

"Damn you Gale, you could have had me killed." She yelled.

"Don't shout too loud Katniss, hey could catch us." I jokily smirked at her.

"Your right, they could." She said, I gathered she was taking my joke seriously. I gave her the signature raised eyebrow. She nodded her head.

"This is dangerous, what I do Gale, getting food is essential though." I could see by the expression on her face she was weighing out all her options. I kept trying to lighten the mood, but she kept finding bad opposites to what I was saying.

"Oh damn Gale, I need to go back, I need to wash for the reaping, see you then!" I saw her turn to run back to her house.

Primrose POV

It was my first year. When mum told me to wash, I knew this obviously was important. She helped me wash my hair and back, and I washed the rest of my body. I started to panic when she put out my nicest dress from my small closet. She had ironed it as well.

"Mummy, am I going to die if I get picked?" I whispered. She shook her head, and then patted mine, ready to do my hair. It was in two long braids, one either side of my head. She had then done two smaller ones round my head, and then gripped them back neatly. My heart started to race. What is I was to get picked. Will I die? Will I e strong enough to kill anyone? Will I be a tree monkey like district 5 last year? I don't know was the answer to all of those questions, but I hope the answer is no to the first question, because then the rest of the questions would be out of the question.

Katniss POV

I stormed through the door, and kissed Prim' on the head, I bounced round the house, trying to get ready before the claxons roared through out the town.

I quickly washed, while hearing a panicking Prim' wander up and down the hall, pacing like a physico. There was no calming Prim when she was like this, but the least I could do was try.

I heard the claxon, and grabbed Prim's hand, and she followed like a lost puppy. I wanted to get there at about the right time that the Mullen's would get there. Prim' could stay with Abigail, as she's a first year too. Prim' had seen the blood sampler. It was a simple prick, but it would still hurt her, the fragile little thing.

We all were aligned, and then Effie Trinket walked out, what a stunner she was, and not in the slightest good way. She dug her skinny little hand into the glass bowl and dug out a girl's name. I had my fingers crossed to death, and then she read out the name…

"Primrose Everdeen!" She yelled. I stood, stunned. I looked at her and mouthed 'Let me go' and she mouthed back, 'It's fine, I might not die' and shrugged off the tears. I felt so bad, was this her way of saying goodbye?s


	2. The Reaping

Chapter 2-Prim POV:

I heard my name being called. I didn't panic like I had imagined. I just walked down. I heard Katniss calling my name. She panicked more than I did, and I was the one nearer death than she'll ever be now. She mouthed something at me. 'let me go for you' I finally understood, then I mouthed back 'It's fine, I might not die' I tried to shrug off the tears, but Katniss could see I was struggling. This wasn't goodbye I was thinking, I might not die here. "Now for the boys!" Effie yelled into the only thing that could bear her breath, the microphone. To end this torture, she dug her hand into another glass bowl, and she wobbled back to the microphone, "Gale Hawthorne!" I closed my eyes. Maybe it was only a dream. It wasn't. The peacekeepers brought Gale up to the stand, and made us shake hands and then he lifted me up, and told me I would be safe. Then my eyes met with Katniss' she looked completely mesmerized, but obviously in a bad way.

Gale POV:

That was when my eyes met Prim's. I think she knew she was a vulnerable one, being young, and a girly little fragile deer. Katniss' eyes met with mine as I lifted Prim. "You'll be safe Prim, you have me." I whispered to her. I pulled her out of my face a little, and nodded slightly. I put her down, and Effie larked on about honouring us with a round of applause. The normal people gave us the District respect sign, and we replied. Then, it was time for us to leave. The first person I saw was Katniss. She slammed through the mahogany doors, and we fell into each other's arms. "Look after Prim', please?" she looked at me longingly. I couldn't say a word. "She'll be weak Katniss, there's not much I can do to save her when the games begin." At that, she looked as if she was about to steam up. I saw her go red. "HOW DARE YOU! SHE WILL LIVE GALE, SHE WILL!" That was the last I heard of Katniss Everdeen. She slammed the door behind her, and then my mum walked in…

Primrose POV:

Katniss ran in. She said she didn't care about the peace-keepers, she wanted me to live. I felt so horrible. She wanted to do this for me, but I wouldn't let her. "You will live through this Prim. Gale will help you find food." I nodded, and she grabbed me tight. "Why won't you let me do this for you, live, live like a district 12 child…" she murmured into my hair. All I could feel was the vibrations, but I understood what she meant. "Because I love you too much to see you suffer Kat." I broke out, and stood by the window. "Prim. Please. I know you don't want to do this. You want to live." Katniss grabbed me by the arms and forced me. I called for the peace-keepers and wiped the tears away, and stood by the doors, and whispered. "Bye Katniss Everdeen, and may the odds be ever in your favour." Then mum burst through the doors, and held me tight. "Oh Primrose, tuck that tail in, and look at me. You will be safe. I promise." She wiped that awkward tear, and then I did the same. She kissed my forehead lightly, before being yanked out of the room, then I stood by the window, looking outside waiting for something to happen, to cheer me up, and make me happy. But again, that was un-likely. We had to leave for the capitol. Now, I feel sick to my stomach, and realising my up-coming death.


	3. The Capitol

Chapter 3-Gale POV:

Prim looked so peaceful, but I could see her, dying inside. I wrapped my large hand, around her cold, pale hand. I could feel the shake, even though my hands we're toasty warm. I held on, and she smiled, through the brave face, she seemed to be pulling. "Prim..." She looked at me, a lot more seriously.  
"Gale?" She looked so innocent. "What's Wrong?" She looked at me, her voice chimed next to me. and pulled a curious face. "Nothing." I muttered under my breath. She looked at me, annoyed now. "I'm worried, for you Prim." She smiled for the first time today. She tucked herself into the bed covers. "Thank you, Gale." She gave me a sisterly hug. "I love you, big brother Gale." A tear crept out of my eye. "I love you too, little lamb, Prim." She playfully glared at me. I was wondering what Katniss was doing at this very moment. I shivered at the thought, I then looked down at Prim. She was innocently asleep. I would do my up most hardest to keep that child alive. For, the girl I love, for her mother, to give the peacekeepers a show. I knew it would be controversial, but do you think I'm going to care?  
No.  
"Night, Prim." I stroked the hair that had been abandoned from the plait, out of her face, and spread it against her pillow, neatly. I strolled, quite tired, and switched her light down, so it was dim enough for her to be able to sleep. I was quite precautions with her. I saw her turn over, so her face was almost in the pillow, and that was when I walked out.

I couldn't sleep that night, even though Prim seemed to sleep like a log. I turned over , and kicked the covers back, arrogantly, and folded my arms over my chest. I grant anybody, who saw me, would think I'm a child the way I was acting!

No. A child was an understatement.

Shut up.

No! I refuse.

Why am I talking to myself?

That was when I heard Prim screaming. I sat abruptly upright, grabbed my peanuts, and crept over to her room.

Prim POV:  
I was falling asleep quickly. I could feel myself slipping, slowly. Gale was looking at me, brotherly. I hugged him, and told him I loved him.  
"I love you, big brother Gale." He smiled. And then he told me the same, "I love you, too. Little lamb, Prim." I glared at him, he took it as a joke. The games were a bloodbath. I knew I would be weak, and not have as much of a chance as everyone else. But I would be vulnerable and that's worse than being weak, because I wouldn't be able to cough up the courage to try and kill someone, as that's not my nature. All i could hear in the back of my mind, was Katniss crying, screaming; telling me to stay, but I was chosen. It was destiny. If I was to die, it would be now, because I knew.  
I woke up in the middle of the night, screaming. But I don't recall having any sort of nightmares. I do remember having a creepy dream, but it didn't scare me at all. Then Gale crept through the door, and handed me a peanut from a bag he bought back home. He munched through a couple, while I munched through the same peanut, squirrel like. He chuckled, as I looked at my bed-side clock. I sighed, and he furrowed his brows. "Only 4:30." I mumbled, into my feathery, white pillow. "Oh. I thought it was later." He curved his bottom lip outward, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Your such a clown!" I whispered, and we both laughed. He was my big brother... he would not die, I promise, God...


	4. Back to District 12

Chapter 4-Katniss POV:

I woke up, early on the morning of the interview show, and I felt my fingers shaking. I had been caught crossing the district boundary, twice now. I'm am, what's called in my district, 'house bound.' Which means I am not allowed to come out of my house, or shack. Mum has to get the food now. A squirrel, is the only thing my mum can afford, because she is one of the only women who don't work in this district.

I had woken up early, firstly on purpose, secondly because of another, stupid, nightmare. This had been the second one, since Prim and Gale had gone, and in both, Prim had died. Sometimes I even woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or my floor mattress, anyway. "KATNISS?" I heard my mum yell., and I poked my head round her door, because it would give my hands awful splinters, and I don't exactly approve of the pain, and neither would she. "Yes?" I decided to go simple, and innocent. "Would you go down...-" I look at her, annoyed as Hell. "Never mind." She smiles sympathetically, I simply rolled my eyes, and ran back up the breaking wooden stairs.

I heard stomp like footsteps come up the stairs, and then a large splashing sound. "Mom?" I looked around my bathroom door. "Katniss, have a bath, you want to be clean for the trial." She gave me a dusty blue flannel, and some rose flavoured soap. I suddenly knew whose this was, "This is Prim's. I can't use this." I dropped it, and a melancholy frown slapped my face, as I could see through my cracked mirror. I picked it up, and she swiped it out of my hand. "Fine." She protested out of sympathy. "I'm going for my bath now." I took a towel off of the banister. It wasn't going to be clean, but it would be decent. I moaned as the hot water caressed my skin lovingly. I looked at my flat stomach. "Ugh. Why won't you grow?" I rolled my eyes, as mum yelled at me. "I'm going to the bakery!" I heard our netting door slam against the wooden frame. I could finally relax. I was taking deep breaths, in, out. In, out, for a couple of minutes, to find my inner peace. But, as usual, nothing happened. It only made me more melancholy and stressed.

Prim POV:

Cinna woke me up early, to start making my ' impressionable' look. My heart was still racing, but not as hard as the night before.

I felt a slight tug in the back of my head, and then an even larger tug. He was cutting my hair. I wanted to yell 'STOP!' But there was no chance. "Prim?" I looked at him through the glowing mirror, instead of turning, and him ruining my haircut.  
"Yes, Cinna?" His brown eyes glowed in the sunlight, peeking through the ceiling windows. "I will make you look... impressionable." His pause made it sound surreal. Then I thought I would add in, "Will you? Will someone sponsor me?" I pleaded, innocently. "Its certain." He nodded to himself, then gave me a quick nod, and I smiled, even though I probably shouldn't have done. "And... Doing this will be your intimate death sentence?" I nodded. Of course I knew. I choked back the tears, "Yes, of course I know, Cinna. Do you think I would have let my sister do this, if I had the choice?" Again, I choked back the tears, and wiped my eyes of any stray tears that had escaped, because of my emotion. "Prim." He stopped. His eyes flickered in the light, and then he grabbed a brush, and started to yank the hairbrush down my rat's tails, what I call hair. "I'm sorry, Cinna. I didn't mean to…_ Yell._" His sympathetic look changed my mood, and his too, and then an awkward silence up-rose. I didn't know what to say, or what he would say. "How long have you been working in the Capitol?" I started with that. He looked as if he was counting on his fingers, and I sighed. "I think it's been 4 years, since I was 20." I nodded and smiled, he smiled back as he put the hairbrush back on the trolley. "That's cool." And again, the awkward silence filled the room with awkward tension, and I bit my lip. "How old are you again, Prim?" I paused, because I didn't want to tell him.

"12." I put my head in my hands, while he straightened my hair, so it wasn't so out of control.

"Right." He tapped my head, and I looked up at him. "You will survive this, Prim." I looked at him.

"Ugh," I sighed. "Gale?" I looked back at the mirror.

"Well, Gale has been talking to his stylist, and she told me." I nodded, and smiles.

"He is passionate about my sister, Katniss." I nodded and laughed.

"He likes her?" He nudged me on the elbow, and my eyes turned back to him.

"Yes, he does." He took me to the changing rooms, and that was where my throat, became tickly engrossed, in nervousness…


End file.
